Stranger of Redwall
by Alarica
Summary: Gellar the fox is traveling with his vermin horde to Redwall Abbey in search of the legendary Sword of Martin. Little does he know that the daughter of two rebels he slew, Arethra the ferret, has sworn to kill him. But can the beasts of Redwall trust her?
1. Chapter 1

The wind howled. Trees barely withstood the storm. A vermin horde trampled down the muddy path. Gellar the Slayer was coming!

The fox warlord had about him a bow and a quiver that contained no less than twenty lethal poisoned arrows. His seer, Sandero the coral snake, slithered by his side. Although Gellar did not know it, Sandero wasn't really a seer. He was merely pretending. However, Sandero was cunning, and possessed deadly venom and hypnotic abilities.

Gellar and his army had been travelling for days, looking for Mossflower. They were actually in search of Redwall Abbey, an abbey filled with woodlanders and healers. Gellar did not need medical aid or medicine. He was in search of Martin the Warrior's sword. Tales swept through the western lands from which he came, tales of a magical sword that brought victory to the one who wielded it. Gellar intended to take that sword, no matter what the cost. Suddenly, his stoat captain, Scourgetail, pushed up beside him, panting.

"Chief, 'tis Fangeye and Zaggra! They're deserting the horde!" Gellar whipped around. "Where are they?" His voice was barely a whisper. Scourgetail gulped and pointed to the back of the horde. Gellar pushed his way through the nervous vermin. He had been suspecting it for some time. The ferret, Fangeye, and his mate Zaggra, had been especially rebellious since they turned their footsteps towards Mossflower. They said that the sword of Martin was cursed, guarded by the spirit who had once wielded it. Of course, Gellar didn't believe such stories. He was blinded by his greed. He too had heard of the various vermin who tried to take Redwall and failed: Cluny the Scourge, the Marlfoxes, even General Ironbeak and his ravens. But unlike the others, Gellar didn't want Redwall. He wanted that sword.

Soon he reached the back of the horde. In the distance he could see the two rebels fleeing into the distance. But he had no intention of chasing after them. Gellar took an arrow from his quiver and poised it on the bow, aiming it at the back of Fangeye. Then he let it fly. The projectile pierced Fangeye, he fell, and Zaggra stopped to help him. Gellar shot another arrow, and felled Zaggra as well. He walked up to the bodies, Sandero following him. In Zaggra's arms was a young ferretbabe, mewling pitifully. Gellar was wondering whether to kill it or not, but Sandero tugged on his stained tunic.

"Come on, the ssstorm will take care of Ffffangeye'sss brat." So Gellar walked back to his place as leader of the horde, not knowing that the babe he'd just spared would grow up to be his downfall. 


	2. Chapter 2

Redwall was snug and warm in its sturdy red walls. Its Abbess, Abbess Loran, was up and about, tucking in the sheets of young Dibbuns. Before she had been promoted to Abbess, the middle-aged mouse had been the Infirmary Herbalist, one of the kind, caring types. She had never lost her love for the Abbey Dibbuns, and still cared for them when she had the time. Right now, she was fluffing up the pillow of Rodo, a molebabe. Rodo plucked at her dress.

"Yurr, M'Abbess, what be that thurr scurry noise?" Loran smiled. "That's just the thunder, from the storm." Rodo blinked. "Mortin's snorin' ?" Loran knew what he was talking about. Friar Hern, the Abbey's head dormouse cook and storyteller, often referred to thunder as snores from the Abbey's beloved deceased hero, Martin the Warrior. "Yes, Martin's snoring. Go to bed now." She set down the molebabe's pillow and turned to leave. As she closed the dormitory door, she could hear Rodo's own snores.

When she came to the Great Hall, she looked at the wall. There hung a tapestry of Martin the Warrior himself, leaning on his sword as vermin fled from him. The actual sword in the tapestry was mounted right above it, there for all to see. Loran breathed deeply; the sight of Martin's heroic face always calmed her. Then she went off to bed.

* * *

Meanwhile, in Mossflower's woods, a ferret named Arethra appeared. Arethra's lonely life in the woods had robbed her of any negative vermin traits, and she hungered for company. She liked being with the birds that lived in the forest, but wished to be with beasts that walked upon two or four legs, like herself. She gazed at the abbey looming before the forest. It had been there for as long as she remembered. Granted, Arethra was only a child, about eleven in ferret years, but she had an near-perfect memory. Arethra did not know how she came to be in Mossflower: in fact, she didn't even know her real name, but had made it up herself. She had seen the families of fish and birds in the woods, but whenever she tried to recall having parents herself, she just remembered someone, perhaps her mother, running while carrying her. Then she recalled the sound of something speeding through the air and the beast dropping her, and it went black from there.

Arethra thought about the abbey often. She had seen beasts, not like her, but some with big furry tails and others with rudderlike tails. They came out of the building sometimes to pick from the lush gardens growing there. Arethra's friends, the robins, told her that they were different species. Some were called squirrels, others otters, and many others mice. There were also moles and dormice, but she rarely saw those. She wondered if they could offer her the family she wanted.

* * *

Gellar had never finished his search for Martin's sword. After he slew Fangeye and Zaggra, the storm had worsened and driven them back, forcing them away. After that, Gellar pushed the sword to the back of his mind. Years later, though, as his army slew a shrew union and plundered the shrew's meager possessions, a fantastic sword jerked that of Martin's back to Gellar's memory. And so it was that the fox and his army began the trek back to Mossflower.

* * *

**A/N: And that's the end of chapter 2! Sorry if I got the mole dialect wrong, but in the **_**Redwall **_**books I've read, I've never really seen a mole say "Martin". I apologize for leaving the story at a sort of cliffhanger, but I'll publish the next chapter as soon as I can. Enjoy!**


	3. Chapter 3

Friar Hern bustled about busily for the spring feast. The dormouse gave out orders as quickly as a squirrel gathered nuts, all the while stirring the batter of the Springcake. The Springcake was a new tradition, where the Friar took advantage of the spring's fruits to make a cake. Hern was also trying to sort out the berries he was going to decorate the cake with, when he realized he had a problem. He was out of wild mint. Hern rapped out instructions to the nearest beast, a young mouse named Erra.

"Erra, could you gather some wild mint for the Springcake? I am all out and I must use something to liven up this cake batter." Erra grabbed a basket and headed outdoors. She ran into Mossflower, unaware that a pair of eyes was watching her.

Arethra gazed curiously at the little mousemaid. It was so unlike a ferret, with normal teeth compared to Arethra's sharp canines, and a thin ropelike tail so different from her own bushier one. Erra continued to skip, until her paw met the edge of a ditch. She hurtled in, screaming. Without thinking, Arethra shot out from a nearby bush.

This only made Erra scream louder. "Eep! Vermin!" She tried to scramble away, but the sides of the ditch were too slick for her. She cowered from the ferret. Arethra, however, had no intention of harming her. She looked down at the creature. Erra shuddered. "Don't hurt me!" Arethra stared.

"Why would I hurt you?" Erra looked up. "You're a ferret! Friar Hern always told me as a Dibbun that ferrets are vermin, and vermin can't be trusted. You're probably going to skin me alive and boil me!" Arethra scratched her head. "Is Friar Hern part of your family? What's a Dibbun?" The words bursted out of her mouth before she could stop them.

By now, Erra could see that Arethra was only a child, around her age. She was still suspicious, though. "I come from Redwall Abbey, that big brick building. Friar Hern is the head cook, and Dibbuns are Abbeybabes. There's others there too, like an Abbess, and the Skipper of Otters, and Foremole. Everybody's family." Arethra gaped. "You must have a big family. Is Hern your mother?" Erra blinked at the odd question.

"Who taught you? We're a community. My mother is Jana, a kitchen helper." Arethra shrugged. "My friends are the birds, the robins. They told me about families. I thought Hern was your mother because the robins said that mothers do the cooking. I'm Arethra. Here, let me get you out of that ditch." She held out a paw. Erra now knew she could trust Arethra, if the birds did. The ferret pulled her out. Erra looked curiously at her.

"Where'd you come from, anyway? Vermin don't usually wander near here." Arethra frowned. "Vermin. I don't like that name. Why does Hern call me a badbeast? Am I supposed to be bad?" Erra shook her head. "Vermin is the term for badbeasts, which are basically stoats, ferrets like you, foxes, rats, and weasels. You're the first nice ferret I've ever seen, or even heard of." Arethra blinked. "Is that bad?" Erra smiled. "Not at all. Maybe the Abbey could take you in, if you're really a goodbeast."

At this, Arethra almost jumped up and down with excitement. "You really mean it? You mean I get to have a _family_?" Erra nodded. "First though, you have to tell me something. Where are your parents?" Arethra closed her eyes, trying to remember. "I dunno. I've been here as long as I can remember. Whenever I try to recall my parents, I just remember someone carrying me and running. Then something flies through the air. I hear it hit something. Then the beast drops me, and all is black. I probably crawled here. The birds taught me to speak." Erra pursed her lips. When Arethra had mentioned her memories, she guessed that the ferret had been the daughter of a couple of soldiers, probably part of a vermin horde. Perhaps they deserted, and the leader had hit them with an arrow.

She took Arethra's forepaw. "Don't worry, it won't matter, so long as you've got decent company. First, though, I'll need some wild mint. Friar Hern told me to gather some." Arethra looked at her. "Mint? I love mint. Plenty of it grows in these wood. I was collecting mint when you arrived." She walked to a bush, rummaged beneath it, and pulled out a bushel of green mint. "Here you go." Paw in paw, the two friends loped off to the Abbey.

* * *

**A/N: Yet another chapter written on the same day I published this fanfic! XD At least that means I won't be getting writer's block anytime soon. I promise you though, the next one will be focused on Gellar and his horde. We haven't seen him for sometime. See ya!**


	4. Chapter 4

Gellar was in a foul mood. His vermin had gotten lazy when they arrived in Mossflower. Used to the harsh climates of the western desert, the horde lay about living of the rich land, picking fruits and eating roast birds. Gellar stood up.

"Attention!" he barked. The army scrambled to their ranks. Gellar stalked through the horde. "You have gotten fat and lazy," he roared. "Laying about, amusing yourselves with silly little games. You, Mudcoat!" He turned to a brown weasel who was in the back of the army, teasing a small ant by holding a mushroom right above its waving feelers. "When was the last time you tortured a real beast, not some silly insect?" Mudcoat stood rigid.

"N-not since we stopped in this forest. Besides, we haven't anything else to do." he stammered. Gellar sneered. "That was the wrong thing to say." Before the unlucky weasel could react, Gellar had drawn a dagger from his belt and thrown it at his victim. Mudcoat died without a sound. Gellar turned to the rest of the horde. "Does anybeast have anything else to say?" he snapped. Nobeast moved a muscle. "Good." Gellar walked back to his place with Sandero.

"Sandero, what do your omens say?" he asked. Sandero reared up and swayed his head side to side. "My omensss sssay that you will sssoonnn be the massster of the ssword." Gellar smiled, pleased with the snake's lies. He turned over and closed his eyes. "Tomorrow we will go to Redwall. We will ask for the sword. Those soft-hearted woodlanders will be so scared of our horde that they just might hand it over. Tomorrow!"

* * *

Drugann the Skipper of Otters was standing at the gate of Redwall, with his friend Wora, the squirrel. They had been helping in the kitchens with Friar Hern, but the kind Friar had insisted that they take a break. So they were lounging around, munching apples, when they saw Erra running towards them, followed by a ferret.

"Shiver me timbers!" Drugann leaped up, drawing a dagger. "Vermin are chasing Erra! Come on, matey, let's take care of this scoundrel!" Wora took out her slingshot with a pouch of stones, and they stood, aiming their weapons at Arethra. Erra saw them, and stopped Arethra.

"Stop," she warned. "That's Drugann the Skipper, you know, leader, of otters. And that's his friend, Wora, a squirrel. Careful now, they don't know you're my friend. She made a signal with her paws, and Arethra's would-be attackers let down their weapons. They ran over to her. "Can't you see?" Wora said angrily. "We're trying to protect you from that ferret." She seized Arethra by the shoulders. "Don't hurt her," Erra shouted. "She's my friend." Drugann shook his head. "Get some sense into your head, lass." He pointed at Arethra's chest."Remember what Hern told you about vermin. They can't be trusted!" Arethra looked around. She was startled, but had never seen an otter or squirrel up close before. Besides, she trusted Erra to protect her. "Her name is Arethra," said Erra. "I fell into a ditch when I was collecting wild mint, and she helped me up. She also gave me some mint she was collecting, to give to Hern. Please let her stay with the Abbey. She's been in Mossflower for her entire life. Arethra's harmless." Wora and Drugann exchanged glances. "We'll take your little friend to the Mother Abbess. She'll know what to do," Wora said. Erra agreed. The otter and the squirrel placed themselves on each side of the ferret. They marched her into the Abbey.

The Abbeybeasts were alarmed at seeing a ferret in their Abbey. Loran and Jana, Erra's mother, walked up to them. "What is the meaning of this?" Jana demanded. "Why is my daughter with vermin?" Drugann saluted the Abbess. "Exactly what we were wondering, Mother. Erra claims that this ferret, Arethra, has been living in Mossflower and is harmless. She says that Arethra helped her out of a ditch and gave her wild mint for Friar Hern's Springcake. Erra wants her to live here." Loran studied Arethra. Her heart softened when she saw that the ferret was only a child around Erra's age. "She may stay here for the feast. If her behavior is acceptable, Arethra may certainly live here with us. You must treat her as an honored guest." Arethra nodded and smiled. She wasn't worried that Loran might think her behavior was not "acceptable". She wanted to see all the moles and squirrels the birds and Erra had told her about.

Friar Hern and his helpers had outdone themselves. The Springcake was the centerpiece of the occasion. It was taller than three Dibbuns stacked on top of each other(Indi the mousebabe and his friends Rodo and Celly had proved that.) It was covered with a thick layer of golden meadowcream. Arranged on top was a ring of fake edible flowers, made out of sliced cherries with orange halves for the centers. Arethra's wild mint(after having been tested by the Healer, Ornae the bankvole, for poison) was arranged in a beautiful wreath on each layer of the cake. In the center of the flowers on the topmost layer was a sun, created with candied chestnuts and candied rose petals. There were also several colorful cheeses, studded with hazelnuts, herbs and chopped apples. Arethra was not disappointed; she saw moles and squirrels aplenty. She also marveled at the hedgehogs' spikes. However, it was the excellent fare that wowed her most. She had never tasted anything but salvaged roots and mushrooms, and wondered at how the Abbey brewers managed to take the sweetness of various fruits and put them into drinks. The spring vegetable soup was also impressive. The young ferret was even brave enough to try a bowl of the otters' favorite watershrimp and hotroot soup, with twice as much hotroot pepper. After that, as the current Cellarhog

Ergo Spikkle put it, "she must've drunken an entire barrel of fizzy strawberry cordial!"

After the feast, Erra took Arethra on a tour around the Abbey. She showed her the Infirmary, the dormitory(where they spent a happy hour playing with the Dibbuns)

and the Abbey grounds. When they got back to the Great Hall, Arethra noticed the tapestry of Martin the Warrior for the first time. "Who's that?" asked Arethra. Erra clapped a paw to her head. "Great Scott!" she cried. "I've forgotten to introduce you to Martin the Warrior!" She sat down. "Long ago, before Redwall Abbey was built, Mossflower was ruled by Lord Verduaga Greeneyes, a wildcat. He died and his daughter, Lady Tsarmina, accused her brother Gingivere of murder and threw him into prison. Martin the Warrior came from the lands to the north and helped overthrow Tsarmina. He himself killed her by driving her into a lake. He died long ago, but his spirit still lingers in the Abbey and gives help in time of need. That sword is the blade he used to free us." Erra pointed at a sword mounted above the tapestry. Arethra looked at the grand-looking sword. She admired the silver crosstrees, the black hilt, and the red pommelstone. "If vermin saw that, they'd probably want to steal it." she remarked. Erra nodded. "It's been stolen by sparrows, vermin and others in the past," she replied. "But it's always been retrieved by faithful Abbeybeasts. I hate to think of the next vermin to try stealing it. " Meanwhile, the next vermin to attempt to take it was lying awake, dreaming of the terrible things he would do with the sword.


	5. Chapter 5

After telling Martin's story, Erra promptly fell asleep, exhausted from the feast and the excitement. Arethra carried her up to the dormitory and walked off to take another look at Martin's tapestry.

The vermin horde was just awakening. Gellar, too excited to be patient, snarled at everybeast who seemed sleepy or sluggish. He repeatedly had to shout in order to wake them up. Sandero was coiled around his shoulders. "Massster, we mussst hurry before the sssun risssesss." The duo had planned to surround the Abbey with vermin in case the Abbeybeasts didn't give in to their demands.

Gellar nodded. "This might wake them up a little." He looked about till he found a stoat who was still lying in his bed of rushes. "You there, why aren't you out of bed yet?" he snapped. The stoat began to tremble.

"Ch-chief, I was one of the nightguards you posted. I'm still sleepy." he stuttered. Gellar smiled and grabbed the stoat by the ears. "I've told this miserable horde to get out of bed and prepare time and time again," he hissed. Everybeast turned to watch. "Perhaps you're having trouble hearing me. Maybe I'll clean your ears out in order to help you listen to me better." Gellar drew his dagger from his belt and stuck the point cruelly down the unfortunate stoat's ear. He twisted it, relishing the screams of pain that the soldier let out. Finally, his terrible task was finished, and the stoat lay on the ground whimpering, his ear almost completely skinned by the fox's blade. Gellar turned to the rest of the vermin. "Does anybeast else need trouble hearing?" he demanded. Nobeast replied; instead they hastily returned to their business. Gellar's victim cradled his ear, moaning. On the way back to the rock where he'd been surveying his horde, Gellar kicked him, sending him sprawling. "You've still got one ear to hear with, don't you?" he growled. The vermin only stared with fear.

They began the march to Redwall, Gellar leading the horde. He was ecstatic. "You were right, my friend," he said to Sandero. "I will soon be the owner of the sword. I will show these vermin what real pain is. But first, I will conquer Redwall Abbey. Once the sword is in my paws, nothing can stop me, not even that stupid mouse ghost. Mossflower is rich and fertile, and lies near many a traveler's route. The Abbey's walls are impossible to scale. It will make a great fortress!" Sandero wanted to protest, but said nothing. Gellar was in a good mood now, and if Sandero burst his good feelings, he would probably end up as Gellar's next belt. Instead, the snake began forming plans in his own mind, of how he might trick the vermin Chief out of the sword and use it to bring himself to power.

* * *

Arethra, while examining Martin's tapestry, happened to look out of the window. She saw an enormous vermin horde marching towards Redwall. Curious, she looked around for a knife, something she could use to defend herself in case the vermin attacked her while she investigated. Arethra's eye fell upon the sword of Martin the Warrior. She decided to borrow it for a while. Alas, being the innocent young ferret she was, Arethra did not know the difference between borrowing and stealing, nor did she understand the concept of "treasured relics". She took it down from its mount upon the wall. Deciding not to bother the Abbey Gatekeeper at that time, old Kelo the mouse, she opened the window and placed Martin's sword in her teeth. With the dexterity of a cat, she leapt through the window.

Meanwhile, Erra was still sleeping. She dreamed that she and Arethra were romping around the Abbey grounds, helping the Abbeybeasts harvest for a feast. Suddenly, a dark, ominous shadow fell over the place. Erra could see a vermin horde appearing over the horizon, screaming and brandishing bloodstained weapons. A fox sprang up in front of them, waving nothing other than Martin the Warrior's sword. Everybeast screamed and ran in terror. Erra cowered behind an apple tree, but suddenly a bright, golden light chased away the darkness, and Martin the Warrior appeared next to her. He looked ready to fight, but was unarmed, showing the mousemaid his empty paws. "Help," Martin pleaded. "My sword has been stolen, by one you consider a friend. She meant you no harm, but my blade will fall into evil's paws if you do not wake up."

Erra bent her head. "I wish I could help," she replied. "But what can a mere mousemaid do against an entire vermin horde?" Martin clasped her paw. "You have friends, good friends. Tales of old will not hinder friendship and loyalty anew. Be strong, my friend!" He vanished and suddenly everything turned dark as night. Erra felt pain, throbbing pain.

The mousemaid woke up, snug in her bed. She had banged her head into the bed's headboard. Without thinking, the first words she shouted were:

"The sword! The sword of Martin has been stolen!"

Jana and Abbess Loran heard Erra. They raced up the stairs, speeding into the dormitory. "What happened?" asked Jana breathlessly. "Are you alright?"

Erra panted. "I saw Martin in a dream," she gasped. "He said that his sword was stolen, and that it was going to fall into the paws of evil." Jana held her paw. "You must have had a bad dream," she said. "Don't worry, just go back to sleep." "Stop treating me like a Dibbun!" Erra protested. "It wasn't just some silly old nightmare, Martin's sword really is gone, and we need to look for it. NOW!"

Loran took her paw and led her downstairs, murmuring, "See, young mouse, the sword of Martin isn't really stolen. It's just-WWWHOOOOAA!!!!" She froze at the sight of the empty space above the tapestry. Refusing to believe her eyes, she ran to the wall, staring at the blank spot. She calmed down and turned to Erra. "Go and ring the bells. Martin's blade is gone!" she shouted.

The Abbeybeasts gathered in Great Hall. Abbess Loran stood at the front of the hall, on a wooden platform. She waited until the hubbub subsided, and announced, "Beasts of Redwall, please calm down. Erra had a visit from Martin the Warrior when she fell asleep after the feast. It appears his sword is gone."

A hush fell over the crowd of creatures as many pairs of eyes turned to the stretch of wall above Martin's tapestry. Loran continued. "I will ask several beasts to step up onto the platform and answer my questions. First up is Erra. Erra, would you please come up?"

The nervous mousemaid got up from her seat at the table and walked to the Abbess. Loran smiled encouragingly. "Go on, describe your dream." Erra cleared her throat and relayed the events of the vision. Everybeast shuddered at the mention of the vermin and gasped when she described Martin's empty paws. Finally Loran stopped her. "Thank you, Erra. Can anybeast take a guess as to who this swordthief is?"

Wora the squirrel stood up. "I'll tell you who I suspect," she declared. "The sword was taken by none other than our honored guest, Arethra the ferret!" Silence rang throughout the room. Then Loran spoke. "Wora, do you have any evidence that Arethra took the sword?" The squirrel placed her paws on her hips. "Evidence? _Evidence?_ Arethra is a ferret, and ferrets are vermin. She probably just wanted to get in our Abbey so she could take what she wanted. You don't need evidence to prove that. How many times in history has Martin's sword been stolen? Dozens! Now it's been taken again, and it's our job as Abbeybeasts to get it back."

"No!" Erra cried out. "Martin said in the dream that whoever took it meant no harm. Maybe she just took it down from the wall to inspect it, and real vermin came in to kidnap her." Wora shook her head. "I don't want to contradict you, Erra, but this abbey is surrounded by sturdy stone walls. How could any amount of weasels, stoats or ferrets just come in and take something? Yes, perhaps Arethra doesn't mean _you _any harm. But she might be working for a horde and wants to take Redwall, or something. Again, it is our job as the beasts of Redwall to restore one of our most treasured possessions to the Abbey!" A cheer sounded through the hall as Wora finished her speech. Loran began to speak. "Very well, then. Arethra couldn't have gotten very far, so we can send out search parties. We must send one out first thing tomorrow. Who will volunteer?" Nearly the entire Abbey raised their paws. As Loran picked the first search party(Wora and Drugann) Erra slunk away, forming her own plan to bring Arethra back to Redwall.

* * *

Arethra scampered along the tops of the trees, enjoying the view of Mossflower. As she listened to the horde marching below her, she caught the words "sword", "Redwall", and "plunder" spoken from a muscular fox who seemed to be their leader. They were going to attack Redwall Abbey! Panicking, she attempted to scurry away, but her head bumped against a large tree limb. Senselessly, the ferret fell down to earth, right in front of Gellar and Sandero.

Everybeast halted. The fox warlord stared down, shocked. As soon as he recovered from his suprise, he looked up. Eyes glittering maliciously, Gellar issued orders to his horde. "We'll stop here awhile. You, Bloodsnout, tie her up with that whip of yours. Several of you, dig a pit back in the forest and throw her in. I want her alive for interrogation. _I'll _take that," he added, and drew the sword from Arethra's belt. Laughing, he and Sandero went to the back of the horde to discuss their next move.

* * *

The next day, Wora and Drugann set out from Redwall. They combed every inch of Mossflower. Suddenly, they came upon a horde of vermin, lying in the forest.. "You go up in the trees," Drugann carefully whispered. "I'll hide in the stream. Look for anything significant." They sped to their hiding spots.

The first thing Wora saw was a crude tent, with two sentries on either side of the opening. She jumped off her tree branch, landing behind the tent. The squirrel placed her ear on the ground, listening to the dialogue between the inhabitants inside. This is what she heard:

"Those Abbeybeasts were kind enough to send a ferret blundering around Mossflower with the sword."

"Yesss, we are very fffortunate. But how did a ffferret manage to get the sssword from Redwall?"

"As soon as the prisoner wakes up, we'll have to ask her some questions. Obviously, she'd have to had been inside the Abbey in order to steal it. She'll know if the Abbeybeasts are just peaceful bumpkins like the legends say, or if they're really warriors. We cannot fail, Sandero. Some say that Redwall has a special warrior in it who fights off vermin. Well, that's only one fighter, and there's over fivescore in this horde. We'll easily overcome them, and be as rich as kings!"

"But othersss have fffailed in the passst, Gellar. Cluny the Ssscourge, the Marlfffoxesss. They were great, yet did not sssuccceed."

"You forget one thing, my friend. We have the sword. The magic sword. It is supposed to bring victory to its master, and I am the master. Today we plan, tomorrow we march. Come, Sandero! Let us toast!"

At this, Wora heard the sound of two cups clinking together. She tore her ear from the ground and dashed up the tree. Her worst fears had been confirmed. It was none other than the feared Gellar the Slayer and his seer, Sandero the Fearbringer, who had come to Mossflower!

She clambered about, looking for Drugann, when she spotted the pit with Arethra held prisoner inside. The sentry guards posted around it were either fast asleep or drunk. Wora cut free a vine hanging nearby and tied it to her tree branch. Then she lowered herself inside.

Arethra looked up. Her voice was weak from lack of water, but her eyes were open wide. "What are you doing here?" she croaked. The squirrel jumped off her vine.

"I might as well as ask you. Marching around with Redwall's treasured sword! What were you thinking?" She glared at the ferret. Arethra replied, "I saw this vermin horde marching towards the Abbey and took the sword to investigate. I'm sorry, I'm really sorry." Wora's heart softened a bit. " I know about the horde already. We of Redwall are goodbeasts, and will not leave you to suffer. I promise that tomorrow we'll rescue you! However, next time, ask before you take Martin's sword. Do you need anything?" Arethra swallowed. "I could use some water." Withing moments Wora had swung off, plucked a leaf from the tree, twisted it into a cone, and dipped it into the nearby stream. She offered the cone to Arethra, who gulped it down greedily. Wora climbed up and scurried off to find Drugann.

She relayed to Drugann the facts about the dialogue she had overheard, and her conversation with Arethra. The otter listened gravely. When she finished, he whispered, "We haven't got much time. We have to tell the Mother Abbess!" They snuck away, hurrying to Redwall Abbey.

* * *

Arethra chewed hungrily at the leaf and stared at the ground. Her heart was hammering, as she thought of her friend, Erra. Erra, who trusted her. Erra, who pleaded Abbess Loran and the rest of Redwall to take her in. Erra, the one she had betrayed by taking from her home. The ferret put her head in her paws and began to sob. Perhaps she was better off as a vermin, serving Gellar and the rest of his accursed horde. Suddenly, something wet and slightly mushy rapped her in the back. Arethra opened her eyes to find an apple core lying on the ground beside her. She looked up and saw a ferret's ugly face leering down at her.

"Shut yer gob!" he snarled. "Nobeast has time to listen to some wimp howlin' like a babe. Toughen up!" Arethra shook a paw at him. "You leave me alone, vermin!" she yelled back. "You're not the one stuck in a filthy pit, without any food or water. Tell your dumb leader to let me go!" The ferret was about to reply, when he was shoved out of the way. The fox she had seen earlier walked up, with a snake by his side. Gellar smiled down at her.

"You do have a short temper for one your age. Too bad none of my horde has your spirit. I'm Gellar, the Chieftain of these lunkheads. This is Sandero, my seer." Arethra glared at him. " Enough games, fleacoat. That sword is the property of my friends. Give it back, or you'll suffer." Gellar pawed the hilt of the weapon. "This? Afraid not. Finders keepers, my friend. Now, answer my questions. Most of them are about your acquaintances back in that abbey, but one thing provokes my curiosity. How did a _ferret _come to be living in _Mossflower? _Arethra disliked talking about this subject, but she replied as she scoured the walls of the pit for a pawhold, something she could use to climb out. "My business, vermin. Let me out this instant!" The fox drew Martin's sword and held it threateningly over the stream. "You will answer properly, with respect. Otherwise, your friends will never see their precious blade again!" The ferret drew a deep breath. "I was here for as long as I can remember. I do remember somebeast carrying me, but then they fell, and I can't remember the rest, just that I crawled to Mossflower woods. I haven't had a family since then, except the birds whose eggs your damned vermin are cooking for food, curse you!" Gellar drew back, shock written on his harsh face. A distant memory brought him back to the day he had first attempted to take Martin's sword. He peered at the scowling ferret. Could this hotheaded beast really have been the ferretbabe whose parents he'd murdered?

"Well?" Arethra demanded. "Why in the name of the Dark Forest are you gawking at me like that? Are you done asking me nosy questions?" Gellar recovered himself and laughed snidely at the ferret. "Why? I know who you are, child. Once, long ago, two beasts, a ferret and his wife, decided to desert us. They didn't have a single chance, though. My bow and arrows took care of them. When I went up to their corpses, guess who I found? A crying ferretbabe! It wouldn't have taken long for a babe to crawl from the spot my vermin were, all the way to Mossflower. You should thank Sandero. He was the one who persuaded me to spare you, saying that nature would soon take care of you. Well, I'm glad it didn't, then. Otherwise I'd have wasted time and energy taking the sword from Redwall!" Now it was Arethra's turn to be stunned. She now knew who had taken her family from her, two of the few who had truly loved her. Deep inside her heart, looking at the ground, she swore that she would someday destroy the one who orphaned her. Suddenly, she felt a stinging blow on her head and jerked her face up. Gellar cackled. "Good, you're finally paying attention. Now, about the other questions. How many are in Redwall, and how many are warriors?"

The ferret jutted out her chin angrily. "Over sixscore, and all of them would take up arms to defend their home. Your horde will never take the Abbey. RREEDWWAAALLLLL!" She closed her mouth, taken aback, not certain why she had screamed that last word. Gellar simply snickered. "Tomorrow my horde will come for Redwall Abbey. I have heard many things about that building, and one thing is certain, it houses healers, not warriors. Enjoy life as you know it-as soon as Redwall is mine you will become a demonstration to the entire Abbey. Goodbye!" He withdrew his head from the pit, still laughing.

Arethra put her head against the side of the pit, tears streaming from her eyes. She glared her hatred at the retreating fox's back, murmuring, "Laugh while you can, fox, but you won't be laughing when I avenge my family, both of them!"

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**A/N: Meh, longest chapter yet. Due to the fact that my area just got a big snowstorm and school is cancelled all the way through winter break, I'll be able to start the next chapter soon. Hope you enjoy the suspense!**


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